- Petitioner
- Vicente Atlas R. Catalan
- Respondent
- Cristina B. Bombaes
- Citation
- G.R. No. 233461
- Court
- Supreme Court
- Division
- Second Division
- Decided
- March 4, 2020
Summary
This case involved a property dispute where Cristina Bombaes mortgaged her property to Vicente Catalan for a P1,350,000 loan. When unable to repay, they executed a simulated Deed of Absolute Sale so Catalan could mortgage the property for campaign funds, with a Deed of Assignment preserving Bombaes' redemption rights. Instead, Catalan sold the property to Ma. Kristel Aguirre. The RTC initially dismissed Bombaes' complaint, but the Court of Appeals on reconsideration and the Supreme Court found the sale absolutely simulated and void under Articles 1345-1346 of the Civil Code. The Court concluded that Bombaes never intended to actually sell the property, only to allow its mortgage, making the transaction a simulated sale with no legal effect. The property titles were ordered cancelled.